The koala is one of the iconic symbols of Australia, made all the more desirable by the Perth Mint's execution of this cute and cuddly critter in pure silver, artistically rendered in a reverse proof finish, in which the design or devices are mirrored. This year, a sleepy, tuckered out koala bear takes a nap or siesta on the branch of an eucalyptus tree that forms its native habitat, safely out of reach of roving predators.

This beautiful coin is part of the highly collectible series of Pure Silver Koalas. The obverse design of this series, with the koala bear, changes each year, further enhancing its collectibility. The reverse features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II of the British Commonwealth, of which Australia is a member.

This Pure Silver Koala has a face value of 10 cents - only thesecond dime in the Koala series! This inexpensive, pure silver gem makes the perfect gift and represents a superb way to introduce kids (and hitherto clueless adults) to the fascinating world of coin collecting. (It's also perfect for wedding and party favors, giveaways, door prizes, etc.!) Its desirable animal motif, affordability and the fact that it's struck in pure silver will further contribute to its popularity. We advise you to acquire one or more while the opportunity lasts!

A Most Unusual and Surprising Bear! Despite its appearance, the koala bear isn't really a bear at all, but rather a marsupial. Nonetheless it fascinates us because it's so darn cute - it looks like a living teddy bear! Appearances can be deceiving here, too, because koalas aren't cuddly, either. They are arboreal (tree-dwelling), so they have very strong, sharp claws for climbing (and their bite can cause injury, as well).

Koala bears live nearly their entire lives in the eucalyptus (gum) tree, where they feed almost exclusively on its leaves. They have a very low metabolism for a mammal, so they spend up to 20 hours a day resting and sleeping (and the rest mostly eating). Eucalypt leaves are high in toxic chemicals such as phenols and terpenes, which only the koala has adapted to deal with - the toxins are neutralized in its specialized liver.

Marsupials are unusual, and, many scientists believe, more primitive, mammals. Their best-known characteristic is the pouch for their young, and the koala is no exception. The babies, called joeys, are only a quarter-inch long when born, and enter the world hairless, blind and earless, so the safety of mother koala's pouch is a necessity for its first six months of life. For its second half-year the joey will generally ride on mom's back.

Koala Fun Facts You'd think that it couldn't get any more odd than a living stuffed animal that spends its entire life in, and only eats the leaves of, one kind of tree. If so, you'd be wrong - koalas are among Nature's most unusual and unique creatures. Here's a couple of other oddities about these fascinating fur balls.

Koalas are often thought to be silent, and they are most of the time, but males have a very loud mating call that can be heard for a distance of about one kilometer away during the breeding season! When attacked, koalas may issue a loud cry, which is often likened to that of a human baby.

The koala bear is one of the few mammals (other than primates) that has fingerprints. Koala fingerprints are remarkably similar to human fingerprints - even when viewed with an electron microscope, it can be quite difficult for an expert to distinguish between the two!

Obverse A sleepy, tuckered out koala bear takes a nap or siesta on the branch of an eucalyptus tree that forms its native habitat. The Perth Mint "P" mint mark is judiciously located in the bark of the right fork of the tree at the 2:30 position near the rim. The legend 1/10 OZ 999 SILVER guarantees the weight and purity. The legend AUSTRALIAN KOALA and the date are also indicated.

Reverse Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of England, in crowned profile facing right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl earrings, was executed by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. The legend ELIZABETH II and denomination also appear.